第66部分(第6/7 頁)

was　silent。

〃But　I'll　marry　him；　my　dear……it　will　be　best。　Now　say

you　love　me。〃

A　sort　of　profession　was　extorted　out　of　the　girl。

Nevertheless　her　mistress　went　away　sighing；　to　weep　in　her　own

chamber。

In　two　days'　time　Ursula　left　Wiggiston。　Miss　Inger　went　to

Nottingham。　There　was　an　engagement　between　her　and　Tom

Brangwen；　which　the　uncle　seemed　to　vaunt　as　if　it　were　an

assurance　of　his　validity。

Brangwen　and　Winifred　Inger　continued　engaged　for　another

term。　Then　they　married。　Brangwen　had　reached　the　age　when　he

wanted　children。　He　wanted　children。　Neither　marriage　nor　the

domestic　establishment　meant　anything　to　him。　He　wanted　to

propagate　himself。　He　knew　what　he　was　doing。　He　had　the

instinct　of　a　growing　inertia；　of　a　thing　that　chooses　its　place

of　rest　in　which　to　lapse　into　apathy；　plete；　profound

indifference。　He　would　let　the　machinery　carry　him；　husband；

father；　pit…manager；　warm　clay　lifted　through　the　recurrent

action　of　day　after　day　by　the　great　machine　from　which　it

derived　its　motion。　As　for　Winifred；　she　was　an　educated　woman；

and　of　the　same　sort　as　himself。　She　would　make　a　good

panion。　She　was　his　mate。

CHAPTER　XIII

THE　MAN'S　WORLD

Ursula　came　back　to　Cossethay　to　fight　with　her　mother。　Her

schooldays　were　over。　She　had　passed　the　matriculation

examination。　Now　she　came　home　to　face　that　empty　period　between

school　and　possible　marriage。

At　first　she　thought　it　would　be　just　like　holidays　all　the

time；　she　would　feel　just　free。　Her　soul　was　in　chaos；　blinded

suffering；　maimed。　She　had　no　will　left　to　think　about　herself。